Kris has been an advisor to TEARS for 12 years. She started by gently suggesting that TEARS founder Karina Benish adjust her seat and legs to better communicate with the horses. Kris and Karina hit it off right from the start... Kris is 6'2" and Karina 5'11"... and as such, both had challenges when riding. Karina learned Western riding from hard core cowboys initially, Kris trained under European Dressage and Jumping greats....but both found that they were of the same mind when training horses... kind, firm methods to strenthen the mind and body of each horse based not on a "system,"but on each horse's personality and talents.